Free-breathing myocardial t2* mapping using single-heartbeat, multi-shot, gradient echo - echo planar imaging (gre-epi) and automatic non-rigid motion correction

A method for performing T2* image mapping, comprising:

• using a single-shot, multi-echo, GRE-EPI sequence with different echo times to acquire a series of T2*-weighted images;
• applying motion correction to multiple measurements for each echo time to determine an average weighting of the T2*-weighted images;
• applying motion correction to the averaged T2*-weighted images;
• and
• determining a T2* map is determined using the averaged motion-corrected T2*-weighted images.

A method for performing free-breathing myocardial T2* mapping, comprising:

• using a single-shot, multi-echo, GRE-EPI sequence with different echo times to acquire a series of free-breathing myocardial T2*-weighted images, each of the T2*-weighted images being acquired in a single heart beat;
• applying motion correction to multiple measurements for each echo time to determine an average weighting of the myocardial T2*-weighted images;
• applying motion correction to the averaged T2*-weighted images;
• and
• determining a T2* map is determined using the averaged motion-corrected T2*-weighted images.